The winners embody a 3D designing know-how that takes inspiration from nature and a minimally invasive capsaicin hydrogel as a ache reliever.
Two College of Galway tasks have gained Proof of Idea (PoC) grants from the European Analysis Council (ERC) in its second spherical for 2025, taking the whole variety of profitable Eire-based tasks to 4 for the 12 months.
The ERC accepted 136 tasks in its second and last PoC funding name for the 12 months, with every profitable challenge receiving €150,000 to assist researchers as they discover how their work can have a sensible utility or early industrial use. Total, the ERC has supported 300 tasks underneath this programme this 12 months, representing an general finances of €45m.
The brand new grantees will conduct analysis throughout 23 EU member states, in addition to related international locations. Nearly all of the tasks will happen in Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK. The PoC grant scheme is part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s analysis and innovation programme.
One of many profitable Galway tasks is ready to advance an revolutionary software program platform that permits engineers to design lighter, stronger, and extra environment friendly elements optimised for 3D printing throughout biomedical, automotive and aerospace purposes.
In accordance with the group behind the analysis, the brand new know-how might supply the liberty to create advanced and light-weight elements with lesser materials waste.
This challenge, referred to as ‘Idea-AM’ is led by Prof Ted Vaughan, the director of the Institute for Well being Discovery and Innovation and a professor of biomedical engineering, alongside Dr Mahtab Vafaeefar, a postdoctoral researcher in biomedical engineering on the college.
“The ERC Proof of Idea programme supplies a significant bridge between discovery and utility, enabling researchers to translate frontier science into real-world influence and we’re delighted to construct on our analysis and convey its advantages nearer to trade and society,” mentioned Vaughan.
“Too typically, we merely ‘print’ standard designs slightly than actually exploiting the capabilities of additive manufacturing.
“Our objective is to supply intuitive instruments that mechanically generate high-performance, production-ready designs which can be actually functionally tailor-made to every utility, lowering prices, saving materials and accelerating innovation.”
Idea-AM builds on biomimetic rules developed throughout Vaughan’s ERC Beginning Grant, the place he took inspiration from how nature designs advanced construction, translating that into elements with engineering purposes.
In the meantime challenge ‘Uro-Lieve’ is a brand new strategy to “selectively silence ache fibres” as a remedy for reduction from signs of painful bladder syndrome referred to as interstitial cystitis. This strategy goals to keep away from the extreme burning that could be a results of present therapies.
Uro-Lieve is led by Prof Martin O’Halloran, a principal investigator within the School of Medication Nursing and Well being Sciences and the chief director of the BioInnovate programme on the College of Galway.
“Painful bladder syndrome (interstitial cystitis) is a continual, under-diagnosed situation marked by persistent bladder ache, urgency and frequency, with profound impacts on high quality of life, psychological well being and financial productiveness,” mentioned O’Halloran.
“This proposal introduces Uro-Lieve, a minimally invasive, biodegradable capsaicin hydrogel designed to selectively silence ache fibres whereas avoiding the extreme burning of present therapies.
“It highlights a serious unmet scientific want and the broader structural neglect of girls’s ache in analysis and healthcare.”
Final July, two Irish tasks had been introduced as winners within the first spherical of the ERC PoC grants for the 12 months. This included a Trinity School Dublin analysis endeavour that makes use of AI to foretell and analyse conflicts and a College of Galway challenge referred to as ‘VisionPrint’ that explores high quality monitoring of 3D bioprinting by way of mild sheet microscopy.
“The discoveries rising from ERC-funded analysis are fairly often greater than educational breakthroughs. They kind the bedrock of future innovation ecosystems throughout Europe, inspiring new applied sciences, companies and societal options,” mentioned Ekaterina Zaharieva, the European commissioner for start-ups, analysis and innovation.
ERC president Prof Maria Leptin added: “The ERC doesn’t ask its researchers to start out with ready-made options or fast purposes.
“As an alternative, ERC grantees discover the frontiers of data, guided by their curiosity and scientific ambition.
“With these Proof of Idea grants, many ERC grantees will discover the commercialisation or societal potential of their curiosity. And they’ll lay the muse for future technological improvements and societal applied sciences that drive progress in Europe.”
Earlier this month, O’Halloran spoke to SiliconRepublic.com in regards to the BioInnovate programme, which is at present accepting purposes for its subsequent cohort.
Don’t miss out on the data you could succeed. Join the Day by day Transient, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech information.
Elevate your perspective with NextTech Information, the place innovation meets perception.
Uncover the most recent breakthroughs, get unique updates, and join with a worldwide community of future-focused thinkers.
Unlock tomorrow’s tendencies in the present day: learn extra, subscribe to our e-newsletter, and develop into a part of the NextTech group at NextTech-news.com
